If you currently have a #2 in
command, how do you know for sure they're the right person for the job?

How would your business suffer if you were no longer around?

What If Mike’s Story Turns Out to Be Your Story?

MIKE’S STORY

Mike was a 43-year old energetic, hands-on owner of a 23-store franchise in the southeastern region of the U.S. Mike didn’t have a #2 in command to help share the workload and act as a filter to the day-to-day operational noise, all of which resulted in a lot of stress. Mike had several capable managers who were good at their jobs as long as Mike was around to provide guidance and direction, but no one who could step in for him and run the entire operation.

Mike rode his Harley Davidson Switchback touring bike on long Saturday morning rides as a way to relieve the stress caused by the job. On Mike’s last ride, he hit slippery pavement, was thrown, hit his head, and suffered severe head injuries, even though he was wearing a helmet. After eight months in a coma Mike died, leaving his wife Amy and four young children all under the age of eighteen.

Mike’s CFO stepped in to run the business but failed miserably since she had no operational experience. The COO replaced the CFO and was worse. His financial knowledge was limited and his management style was abrasive – in sharp contrast to Mike’s “People First” approach. At the advice of numerous advisors, bankers, and lawyers, Mike’s business was sold for $.57 on the dollar less than eighteen-months after Mike died.

Mike’s family was taken care of through his life insurance policy. However, the steady stream of income died with Mike. It was Mike’s hope that one of his children would someday replace him and take over the company; unfortunately, they were too young at the time of his death. All of Mike’s hard work, sacrifices, blood, sweat and tears that he poured into the business over seventeen-years died with his unexpected death. If Mike had identified and developed a #2 in command, this story wouldhave a different ending.

MIKE’S STORY DOESN’T HAVE TO BE YOUR STORY!
CAN YOUR BUSINESS RUN WITHOUT YOU?

HOW WOULD YOUR BUSINESS BENEFIT IF THERE WERE TWO OF YOU?

As the owner of your business your time is limited and invaluable, and should be spent focusing on high-leverage activities, not putting out fires and getting dragged into day-to-day operational noise. It’s difficult to meet today’s challenges and profitably guide your business into the future when you’re being pulled in many directions. This results in lack of focus, and your business suffers as a result. Are you running your business or is your business running you? As the owner, are you a soldier involved in the day-to-day operations, or are you a general overseeing the battles and directing strategy?

IF YOU CURRENTLY HAVE A #2 IN COMMAND, HOW DO YOU KNOW FOR SURE THEY’RE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB?

If you do have a #2 in command, are they merely your assistant; maybe someone who runs a single division, or perhaps a departmental line manager like a CFO? A person can be great at their particular job; however, running the entire operation is a different animal. Whoever your #2 in command is, can they run the entire operation on their own without you there to guide them? Do they possess the required competencies, leadership skills, strategic-mindset, and vision? Are they prepared to lead your company into an unknown future with the same values and ethics that you would if you weren’t around?

Bill Marriott (Marriott International) did not select his son John to succeed him since he was not the right person for the job. For the first time, a Marriott is not running the company. Without an objective selection process, do you really know for sure that you’re current #2 in command is the right fit for the job?

IT’S ABOUT WHO’S BEST, NOT WHO’S NEXT.
WHO’S BEST PREPARED TO LEAD?

CURRENT REALITIES

As a small business owner myself, we need to face up to our fears and concerns of ignoring the inevitable: planning for our retirement or the unthinkable – dying unexpectedly.

- 60-70% of all family businesses that lose a founder to retirement or death are sold or liquidated.-Source: Inc. Magazine – 2013

- Only 1-3 businesses survive the 2nd generation. The estimate of successful transfers to the 3rd generation ranges from only 10-20%.-Source: Forbes Magazine – 2012

- When the founding owner suddenly becomes disabled or dies, and their ill-prepared spouse or eldest child takes over the business, the likely result is bankruptcy or a selloff.-Source: Entrepreneur Magazine – 2013

40% (64 million) of the U.S. workforce will be poised for retirement by 2020. The resulting talent gap will directly impact the future sustainability of every enterprise.-Source: The Wall Street Journal – 2012

- 66% of managers hired from outside the company fail within 18-months due to lack of fit with company culture.-Source: Harvard Business Review – 2013

TOP 7-REASONS WHY SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS DON’T HAVE A #2 IN COMMAND:

Reluctance to give up control.

The belief that, “If I give up control the company will inevitably fail.”

An inability or unwillingness to see someone else in charge.

The belief that “No one can possibly replace me.”

Losing a sense of purpose.

No one in the family is prepared or willing to take over the company.

They have a team in place that can take over for them.

IMAGINE HOW YOUR LIFE WOULD BE DIFFERENT IF YOU HAD A #2 IN COMMAND:

Less stress, worry and anxiety; imagine actually getting a good night sleep?

More personal and family time.

Able to focus on areas of the business that you’re passionate about, best at, and enjoy doing.

Greater profitability since there would be two of you driving the business.

Peace of mind knowing your business is in good hands should something unexpectedly happen to you.

IT’S RISKY BUSINESS BEING THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN RUN THE ENTIRE SHOW. A RISK YOU DON’T HAVE TO TAKE!

Solution:Identify & Develop Your #2 in Command is a one-day strategy planning summit specifically developed for small business owners.
The goal of the summit is two-fold:

Provide small business owners with a process to identify & develop a #2 in command, including an executive leadership team succession planning process, resulting in greater organizational effectiveness & optimization of the owner’s time.

This is not a succession planning program. Formal succession planning is about accountants and tax and estate lawyers. However, by identifying & developing your #2 in command, you may find your eventual successor. If you’ve already identified your eventual successor, but they’re not ready, perhaps one of your children, your #2 in command can bridge the gap. Even if you have your eventual successor identified and in place, smart owners understand they still need a reliable #2 in command that they can depend on to help execute the company strategy, and drive the day-to-day business.

Deliverables:

1. Process:
A flexible, self-directed, self-sustaining process that identifies and develops a #2 in command, including a succession planning process for Mission Critical Positions in order to groom talent needed for the future.

2. Tools:
An actionable blueprint of templates, processes, assessments, and checklists, all contained in a single implementation playbook and electronic file. 25-tools in total.

3. Support:
Implementation.

Curriculum Topics:

*Company: Purpose/Vision/Strategy

* Current #2 in Command Assessment

* Mission Critical Positions (MCP’s )

* Company Culture

* #2 in Command Profile

* Executive Leadership Development

* Owner Priorities

* #2 in Command Competency Model

* Individual Development Plans (IDP’s)

* Company Priorities

* #2 in Command Competency Interview Questions

* Transition Period Plan

* High-Leverage Activities (HLA’s)

* Candidates Identification

* Metrics & Scorecard

* Leadership Audit

* Internal vs. External Search

* Implementation Plan

* Leadership Assessment

* Family Member Evaluation – Selection Process

* Implementation Support

This is not one of those ho-hum, theory-based seminars that you sit back and listen to someone who is out of touch with your world. This is an engaging, reality-based work session that addresses real life issues and challenges that are important to you, your business and your family.

Implementation Support:

Unlike most programs that provide information only, leaving it to the participants to figure out how to incorporate and implement the information, Identify & Develop Your #2 in Command is different.

{Implementation, not ideas, is the key to success!}

Implementation Support is a way to protect your investment and to ensure you take action back at your company. We know how easy it is to get distracted and have good intentions moved to the back burner.

Identify & Develop Your #2 in Command is too important for us to allow this to happen to you. The metric that means the most to us is not the number of participants in the room, but the results achieved by the participants in the room.

For one full-year following the conclusion of the one-day strategy summit, we will provide as part of your investment, the following implementation support services:.

Quarterly Webinars

Monday Morning Coaching Email Blast

The content will be focused on implementation coaching tips & advice, along with best-practice sharing and participant progress updates.

Additional implementation support is also available. At the end of the one day strategy summit, you’ll decide what level of support you’ll require, based on the following criteria:

I can do this on my own – no support required.

I need a little help.

I need a lot of help..

Investment will be based on level of support you require, which can only be determined at the conclusion of the program once you’ve reviewed the material presented.

{What price are you paying for not having a #2 in command?}

{When was the last time you invested in YOU?}

{What you’re ultimately investing in is peace of mind. What’s that worth to you?}

Any way you look at it there’s a cost. There’s a cost to attend this one-day strategy summit, and there’s a cost of:

Doing nothing.

Achieving the same business results by yourself.

Spending your time on operational noise vs. high-leverage activities.

Missing opportunities because you’re busy putting out fires.

Not focusing on the things you’re passionate and best at.

Not developing your leaders for the future.

Not protecting your business and what you’ve built.

Not spending more time with your family.

Your health!

Why is this 1-day strategy summit important to you & why should you care?

Here’s five reasons (I’m sure you can add to the list):

You want to retire soon but don’t have a ready replacement.

You want to grow your company but don’t have the leadership capacity among your workforce to do so.

You want to have a succession plan in place for key positions should you unexpectedly lose a key employee.

You want to remove the day-to-day operational noise so you can focus on the bigger payout opportunities.

You want to protect your business because it’s your baby!

{There’s no greater wealth in the world than peace of mind.}

YOUR SUMMIT LEADER

Terry McKenna is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, and consultant on the topics of human capital optimization and organizational design: people and systems. Terry’s most recent book, Hire the Best C-Store Employees – Interviewing Tactics for Hiring Employees Who Can Actually Make You Money, was a #1 seller in the convenience industry. Terry writes a monthly column for Convenience Store News & Single Store Operator, and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, and the Harvard Business School corporate training video, Benchmarking Outside The Box.

EPS is unique in their depth and breadth of experience in understanding and relating to retail operators and their employees due to their extensive history and exclusive focus on the retail industry.

Prior to founding EPS, Terry worked 17-years with Mobil Oil Corporation – U.S. Marketing Division. While at Mobil, Terry led the development and implementation of a national customer service strategy, in addition to leading the achievement of ISO-9002 certification for customer service for convenience stores for Mobil’s Singapore marketing affiliate.

Register Today:

This strategy summit isn’t as much about processes and implementation tools, as important as they are, as it is about your peace of mind; your confidence in having a trusted and capable #2 in command; your relief and wellbeing in knowing your company will be in good hands should something unexpected happen to you like Mike; and removing your fear and guilt of inaction.

To register for the Identify & Develop Your #2 in Command one-day strategy summit, go to: www.2incommand.com for dates and cities near you.

Seating is limited to only 75-participants on a first-come-first-served basis.

We may only be in your city one time, so don’t delay and miss out on this opportunity; it’s too important to you, your company, and your family. The time to act is now!

Contact Information:

To learn more about how to Identify & Develop Your #2 in Command, contact Terry McKenna: terrym@eps-i.com or 910.458.5227.

{If’s it important to you, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse!}

NOT SURE YOU SHOULD REGISTER? TAKE THIS TEST TO HELP YOU DECIDE:

“DON’T THINK ABOUT HAVING A #2 IN COMMAND.”

IF YOU FIND YOURSELF THINKING ABOUT HAVING A #2 IN COMMAND, THEN YOU’VE MADE YOUR DECISION!